Amid speculation of a TMC like rebellion in Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) MLC Krupal Tumane on Thursday claimed that seven of the nine Thackeray camo MPs are willing to join the Shinde Sena.
“Out of nine MPs of SS(UBT), seven are willing to work under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. They want to work according to his policies and ensure development of their constituencies,” Tumane was quoted as saying by IANS.
He also claimed that apart from the seven MPs, 16 MLAs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) are also in contact with Shinde.
According to Tumane, discussions with the UBT dissidents are in advanced stage and they will switch their loyalty soon.
Tumane’s claims come in the backdrop of heightened speculation of a fresh break-up in the Uddhav camp and how shifting loyalties could shake up the Bal Thackeray-founded party and ‘perennially’ alter the support bases of the two Shiv Sena factions in the state.
The speculations have, however, been refuted strongly by at least two Shiv Sena MPs, including Uddhav Thackeray’s staunch loyalist Sanjay Raut.
SS(UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has rubbished all speculations of ‘Operation Tiger’ and affirmed that the party remains “intact, united and strong”.
Voices of discontent and unease within the camp started surfacing over a recent meeting of the Sena MPs convened at ‘Matoshree’, the residence of Uddhav Thackeray.
Conflicting reports claimed that the informal meet was given a miss by most Sena Parliamentarians, and only a handful turned up.
The party later, in a clarification, stated that all the MPs had joined the meeting, though some via virtual mode.
Bhausaheb Wakchaure, another Shiv Sena(UBT) MP from Shirdi, dismissed the speculation as merely hearsay and stated that too much was being read into it, for stoking fresh turmoil in Maharashtra politics.
“I am with SS(UBT). These are just speculations; they have been going on for a year. I don’t know why they are going on,” he stated.
“Today, I am standing with UBT; I can’t say about tomorrow; I am not a soothsayer,” he said, giving fresh fodder for political watchers to interpret his remarks.